Meal Plans

UP meal plans are a "declining balance" concept. There are no limitations on when or where students can use their dining points and there are no regulations prohibiting the use of the dining points to purchase meals for other students or guests. Students are able to "grab and go" with their purchases and are not limited to eating their meals in the location where it was purchased. Students have control of their meal plan account and will be able to purchase their meals as they see fit.

Of course, having control of the spending in the meal plan account comes with a level of responsibility in student spending behavior. Every purchase will come with a receipt showing an account balance.

Benefits of Our Meal Plan

Community. Breaking bread is an important part of university community life. On-campus dining lets you be a part of the larger college experience.

Food NOT out of a box or can. Bon Appétit cooks from scratch with recipes prepared by the onsite Executive Chef. All regular salad dressings, bread, soups and stocks for sauces are made from scratch every day by the onsite culinary team.

Food with a conscience. Our chicken and milk are antibiotic-free and fruits and vegetables are local and organic (when in season).

Vegetarian and vegan options. A wide range of vegetarian and vegan choices are offered at our cafés.

Peace of mind. No worrying about packing food for lunch. Also, our meal plan dollars can't be lost, even if your student ID card is lost.

Meal Plan Options 2017-2018

Realizing that one size does not fit all, the University of Portland offers several dining options to fit your lifestyle, appetite, and budget.

All meal plans operate on a declining balance or debit system. Depending on the meal plan selected, students begin each semester with a set amount of Dining Points, which are electronically added to their meal plan balance. Food purchases are withdrawn from a student's meal plan balance as items are purchased from any Bon Appétit location on campus.

New to UP and trying to determine how much you'll spend on an average meal? Check out Bon Appétit's daily menus to see the cost of different food items.

Meal Plan 1: Designed for those students who, because of their schedule or off-campus commitments, do not plan on eating all their meals on campus. This is a great plan for light eaters and those who occasionally eat on campus. Includes 1638 Dining Points per semester, or approximately 15 Points per day. Costs $1,638 per semester.

Meal Plan 2: Designed for those students who are lighter eaters, may periodically skip meals, and rarely take advantage of late night dining hours. Includes 1837 Dining Points per semester, or approximately 17 Points per day. Costs $1,796 per semester (41 bonus Dining Points).

Meal Plan 3: Designed for those students who rarely miss meals and will occasionally take advantage of late night dining hours. Includes 2010 Dining Points per semester, or approximately 18 Points per day. Costs $1,929 per semester (81 bonus Dining Points).

Meal Plan 4: Designed for those students with hearty appetites who access their plans for every meal and often take advantage of late night dining hours. If you eat larger meals and eat almost every meal on campus, this is the plan for you. Includes 3015 Dining Points per semester, or approximately 28 Points per day. Costs $2,879 per semester (136 bonus Dining Points).

Residents select dining options for each semester. Fall term meal plan changes are permitted through the second Friday of the fall semester. Changes for the spring semester must be submitted by the first Friday of the spring semester. Students must complete the online Meal Plan Change Form to request a change. The deadline for requesting a meal plan change for fall semester is September 8.

Additional Dining Points can be purchased throughout the semester through the Bon Appétit Office in Bauccio Commons. You can also use cash or cards to purchase meals in the dining halls.

Dining Points for a given academic year must be used by the end of the spring semester. There are no refunds, transfers of Dining Points to other students, or carryover opportunities.

More information about food service at the University of Portland can be found at the Bon Appétit website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which meal plan should I choose?

There is no "default" or single best plan for everyone; different students will spend different amounts of points depending on how many meals they eat on campus each day and how much they spend per meal. Read the descriptions of each meal plan carefully and determine which best matches your eating habits.

What if I run out of points before the end of the semester?

Credit cards, debit cards, and cash can be used in the dining halls. You can also bring payment to the Bon Appétit Office in Bauccio Commons to have it added to your dining account. If you are not on campus and want to add money to a student's dining account, you can mail a check to the University, Attn: Bon Appétit. With the check, please include the student's name, ID number, and a message stating what the money is for.

Can I cancel my meal plan for spring semester if I have points left over from fall?

All students living in on-campus housing for the year are required to purchase a meal plan both fall and spring semester, as outlined in the Residence Hall & Food Service Contract. You can change to a smaller meal plan for spring by completing the Meal Plan Change Form by the end of the first week of classes of spring semester. Although we provide a courtesy rollover of points from fall semester to spring semester, meal plan points expire at the end of spring semester.

Can I get a meal plan if I live off campus?

Yes. If you live off campus or in a UP-owned rental house, you will not automatically be given a meal plan. If you would like to have a meal plan added to your student account, contact the Student Accounts office directly and make a request in writing (an e-mail to stu-acct@up.edu is fine) to add a meal plan to your account. You can also go to the Bon Appétit office to have money put on your card not as part of a standard meal plan. The advantage to a meal plan is that Meal Plans 2, 3, and 4 provide you a number of "bonus" points beyond what you pay for; the advantage to putting another amount of money directly on your card is that the money will not expire at the end of the academic year.

I have allergies or other health concerns about eating the food on campus. What should I do?

Contact Bon Appétit by calling 503.943.7330 or stopping in the Bauccio Commons office to set up an appointment. The staff there will work with you to learn about your individual needs and develop a plan that may include special menu items, ingredient identification, special preparation, and communication to necessary staff to ensure that you can eat safely.

One student shared this comment with Bon Appétit General Manager Kirk Mustain and Sous Chef James "Cubby" Hafford:

I just wanted to take an extra second to thank the both of you for the awesome allergy accommodations. Every time people ask me about UP, it is one of the things I mention because it is so "UP like," and I think it is a terrific reflection of how accommodating and caring the people at UP really are. And at Bon App for that matter!